Del Mar council urges probe of Attorney General over housing aid and campaign gifts

Del Mar’s city council formally requested that the San Diego County district attorney and U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon examine Attorney General Rob Bonta and businessman Mark Arabo for possible improprieties tied to campaign donations. The motion followed a letter from resident Debrah Barnes, which raised concerns about contributions from real-estate agent Brian Guiltinan—who donated $18,200 to Bonta’s 2024 reelection—and from Arabo, who also contributed the same amount and serves on the Del Mar Fairgrounds board.

The dispute centers on the Seaside Ridge proposal, a 259-unit housing plan first introduced in 2022 that the council has repeatedly rejected, most recently in May, citing missing application materials. State officials have pressured the city to streamline the approval process and warned of violations of California’s housing law. Arabo, who opposes an affordable-housing project at the fairgrounds, says he had no knowledge of Guiltinan’s involvement and claims no interest in the outcome.

Attorneys for the developer called the council’s allegations “outrageous” and defended the legitimacy of their communications with public officials. The county DA and U.S. Attorney have not yet indicated whether they will open an investigation.